1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to stepladders or devices to be placed on the top of stepladders in order to hold a wide assortment of tools and other accessories.
2) Description of the Related Art
Ladders have been employed since their inception to place workers into proximity to an elevated surface or article that needs be physically manipulated, such as for purposes of painting, plumbing, wiring, etc. Of the several well-known styles of ladders available, a stepladder is perhaps the most common for indoor use. A flat surface is usually provided at the top of the stepladder.
One of the problems individuals who find themselves on ladders regularly encounter is that they must prevent themselves from falling from the ladder while performing the task at hand. Additionally, a variety of hand implements is often required to carry out various tasks to their completion. From a statistical standpoint, the probability of an individual having a mishap varies directly as the number of times an individual goes up and down the ladder in connection with a job. Therefore, if it were possible to minimize the number of up-and-down trips an individual was required to make in the normal course of carrying out tasks from a ladder, then the probability of a mishap could be minimized. Also, people who frequently use ladders to perform work often find that they need to mount and dismount them many times in a day to obtain additional equipment and tools needed to complete their assigned tasks. Having to do this is time consuming and inefficient. Also, repeated climbing up and down ladders tires a worker and over time can adversely affect some workers' leg muscles and knees. Most bags and trays currently used to support tools and equipment at elevation are too small to prevent frequent dismounts, not easily or rapidly secured and released at elevation, not adapted for secure transport and storage of power tools, not adapted to multiple types of elevation support, and/or not sufficiently rugged or durable for long-term use.
One way to minimize the number of up-and-down trips required to carry out a task is to provide every tool and/or material needed for a given job in close proximity to the location atop the ladder where the worker is situated. However, while the prior art contains many different types of devices aimed at this end, none has been successful in design both so as to be ergonomically effective, and sufficiently cost-effective to manufacture so as to be widely adopted.
A review of some of the criteria that a ladder tool holder would desirably realize is useful. Flexible and removable fabric-type, holders seemingly offer a large holding capacity, but these holders tend not to maintain a defined volume, and are subject to collapsing inwardly. This is adverse in that even a loaded holder should be capable of being slipped into position on a step ladder by use of one hand. The holder must maintain itself open and ready to be mounted upon the step ladder. Moreover, a holder removed from a ladder should not slump or collapse so completely that held objects such as tools become dislodged.
Another type of accessory holder is a foldable tray or platform attached to the front support legs of a ladder and which tray may then be pivoted to an out-of-the-way position when not in use or when the ladder is stored.
Many ladder trays or article holders attachable to a ladder can be found in the prior art and the following are representative:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,444,096 shows a paint receptacle for use with roller-type applicators having a tray which is supported by a foot which engages the top of a stepladder.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,961 shows a mounting bracket which carries a pivot which, in turn, supports a holder such as a collapsible bag. The device is not specifically for use with a ladder and may be attached to a window sill or ledge to assist in such tasks as washing windows. When not in use, the holder may be rotated so that it may be positioned out of the way.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,435 shows a tray with a clip and wire frame support for secure mounting on the top of a stepladder. The tray is shaped to hold tools and has small pockets for containment of small items.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,740 shows a movable shelf for a stepladder. The shelf has a pair of brackets which, for example, may engage the edge and underside of either a step or the top of a ladder. Stop members in the form of pins may be engaged to prevent the shelf from sliding when in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,063 shows a stepladder work bench which is hingedly attached to a stepladder, allowing it to be raised and hooked in place for use and lowered against the stepladder rails for storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,535 shows an open-bottomed, non-folding, vertical sided, box-like tool holder that sits on top of a folding stepladder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,753 shows a paint can holder with a collar which suspends a paint can to facilitate painting directly from the can. The device is attached or supported from the top of a stepladder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,915 shows a foldable tool holder with a rectangular central top panel that rests on top of a stepladder and four pocketed rectangular side panels that hang down from the respective edges of the top panel and are attached to it by various means, including sewn stitching, a zipper, straps, and rivets. Straps are provided on the lower ends of the side panels for tying them to the ladder's support rails.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,453 show a foldable tool holder with a rectangular central top panel that fits on top of a stepladder and four pocketed trapezoidal side panels that hang down from the respective edges of the top panel. The side panels are attachable to each other at their lower ends by hook and loop tapes on straps that respectively wrap around the legs, one front step and one back rung of the ladder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,433 shows an improved accessory tray securable to the top cap of the step ladder for the temporary storage of tools, parts, and the like. The accessory tray includes a support which is securable to the top of a stepladder by various clamping arrangements which may include bolts, springs or tie downs. The tray is attached to the support and in the deployed position extends horizontally forward from the front steps of the ladder.
As can be seen from looking at the prior art, there is still a need for a ladder accessory holder which is adapted to hold a wide variety of tools while being simple in design and easy to manufacture and apply to the ladder. A need also exists for a holder which can be useful when the stepladder is used in the stand-alone mode or is supported by a wall.